CRANE RAIL FASTENING SYSTEMS INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE

Recommendation of tests process and recording for aluminothermic welding

Ref : 06EP198-7 Spcifications
1. Scope

What does exist in terms of welding control and qualification standard for crane rail?

2. Preliminary consideration
At this moment, there is no standard dedicated to the welding of crane rail. In fact no
standard in point view of the qualification welders, qualification of procedures and control.

3. Alternative can be used

Strong by his proven and successful experience of crane rail aluminothermic welding,
Gantry considers some tests as relevant for the aluminothermic welding checking.
3.1. Mechanical test
At this moment, we consider the Gantrex/Railtech procedure for surface hardness
measurement as the only relevant method to qualify the weld regarding mechanical properties. This
procedure is enclosed.
The test result must be, as specified in the procedure, comprised between 260HB and 300HB for
normal steel grade and between 310HB and 350HB for 110CR-V grade.
3.2. Non destructive tests (NDT)
According with the state of the art and only for NDT tests, we can refer some items from
EN14730-2 and consider them only as guide line.
1. Visual surface examination
1.1. As cast iron
Following stripping and grinding the as-cast weld collar surface shall be visually examined
for soundness. For the process to be accepted:
- There shall be no cracks with length of 2mm, or greater. Joints between weld collars and
rail and flashing and rail are not cracks.
- There shall be no pores with a dimension greater than 3mm nor shall there be more than
three pores in the size range 2mm to 3mm per test.
GANTREX s.a.
Rue du Commerce, 19
BP 196 1400 Nivelles
Belgique

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CRANE RAIL FASTENING SYSTEMS INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE

-

Slag or sand inclusions shall not exceed the limits.

Surface dimension (max) in mm:
10
15
20
Depth (max) in mm:
3
2
1
No defect shall intrude into the rail cross section nor touch the edge of the weld
collar/rail intersection.
- The condition of the surface left by riser removal (other than that on the ground rail
head) shall conform to the requirements specified by Railtech process manual APR one
shot cresset.
1.2. Final ground weld surface
The head and the ground weld collar surface on either side of the rail head shall comply with
the following.
- There shall be no cracks.
- There shall be no defects (pore, slag sand inclusions, metal beads)
1.3. Visible heat affected
The visible heat affected zones on each side of the weld shall be measured on the rail
running surface centre line. Their widths shall be equal to +/-40mm (on the head of the rail).
The visible heat affected zone shall be nominally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of
the rail and transverse axis of the weld. A mark can be made after rail cutting but before
welding, this mark will used as reference to check any movement of the rail during the
welding.
2. Magnetoscopic examination-MPI (according EN 1290)
There are 2 kinds of MPI tests, namely under UV light or without. We consider the process
using an UV light more relevant for the detection of the outlet cracks but it can be very
difficult to realize outside. The area of the web zone of the welding must be particularly
checked and no cracks. The controller must qualify to EN473 magnetoscopic control
cofrend 2 or 3.
3. Internal examination by ultrasonic test (according EN 1714)
The controller must qualify to EN473 US control cofrend 2 or 3. The step of the procedure
control is given below.
- A test of the head zone of the weld (non planar defect)
Reject level any defect signals>= the signal a 5mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
- A test of the head zone of the weld (planar defects)
Reject level any defect signals>= the signal from a 10mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
- A test of the web zone of the weld (planar defects)
Reject level any defects signals>= the signal from a 5mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
- A test of the middle zone of the foot of the weld
Reject level any defects signals>= the signal from a 5mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
- A test of the ankle zone of the foot of the weld
GANTREX s.a.
Rue du Commerce, 19
BP 196 1400 Nivelles
Belgique

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CRANE RAIL FASTENING SYSTEMS INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE

Reject level any defect signals>= the signal a 5mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
A test of the toe zone of the foot of the weld
Reject level any defect signals>= the signal a 5mm diameter flat-bottomed hole
All vertical defaults are 100% rejected
More than two acceptable defaults = reject of the weld

The extent and depth of any defect found shall be marked on the report supplied by the
controller.
4. Validation
According the standard, the validation of the welding is under the responsibility of the
controller. Those 3 kinds of tests are always considered together by welding. We consider
other tests like x-ray examination or dye penetrate examination like extra tests.

4. Recording and tracing of the aluminothermic weld

Each aluminothermic welding must identified and reported, each report must be stored and
accessible on request. This identification report is fully making part of the welding process. In this
report (independent of control report) key information must be written like:
4.1. Identification of the responsible welder
- Name
- Function
- Special accreditation
- Date and signed
4.2. Identification of client
- Name
- Responsible
- Phone
- Special demand
- Date and signed for approval
4.3. Identification of the welding
- Ident n
- Localisation
- Track name
- Time of realisation
- Sate of the extremity rail
- Respect of the Railtech process APR manual
- Railtech portion bag reference (using of the self-adhesive label from the portion bag)
- Preheat temperature
- Global geometrical tolerances (gap and peak)
- Observation
GANTREX s.a.
Rue du Commerce, 19
BP 196 1400 Nivelles
Belgique

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http://www.gantrex.com
Tl. : 0032/67/88.80.30
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CRANE RAIL FASTENING SYSTEMS INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE

4.4. Identification of the works
- Type of process
- Number of welders
- Objective
- New track or renovation
- Date Localisation
- Type of work
- Type of track
- Type of rail
- Local temperature
- Local weather

GANTREX s.a.
Rue du Commerce, 19
BP 196 1400 Nivelles
Belgique

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http://www.gantrex.com
Tl. : 0032/67/88.80.30
Fax : 0032/67/21.63.21